Dog walks 10 miles in winter to reunite with his mate at shelter

Terre Haute
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In an act of true devotion, one recently adopted dog left his new home and walked 10 miles to reunite back at the shelter with his favorite female canine.

In a story of true puppy love, Ben, a 4-year-old rescued stray, walked 10 miles this winter to find his mate, another shelter dog named Jade.

According to the Huffington Post, the duo lived together as strays in Terre Haute, Indiana. When Jade became pregnant with Ben's puppies, the two dogs were trapped and brought to a rescue shelter, so Jade could be cared for as she prepared to have puppies. The pair then continued on as a couple at the shelter, having six puppies.

“They were a bonded pair,” said Charles Brown, the shelter manager of the Terre Haute Humane Shelter. The puppies had been adopted out.

Ben was then adopted by a family who only wanted one dog. According to The Tribune-Star, Courtney and Jason Lawler felt the 1-year-old Jade was too skittish to be around their young child.

What Ben did next was amazing. After about three weeks, he found a way to escape when the trash was being taken out. He left his new home, walked 10 miles in cold weather and found his way back to the Terre Haute Humane Shelter within 24 hours. Rescue workers say he then ran to Jade's pen and "kissed" her through the pen.

He hung around the shelter eluding workers who tried to catch him; they believe Jade was warning him somehow as Ben knew they were trying to trap him. They did finally catch him a couple of days later.

Ben and Jade were “visibly happy to see each other, barking and wagging their tales,” Brown told the Tribune Star.

The Lawlers now have another dog. Not wanting to separate the pair, they adopted Jade.

The couple spoke to media about their two dogs that are so devoted to one another.

"They show utter devotion to each other like my wife and I do," Jason Lawler told NBC News 2.

"They go on walks together, and stay together at all times," said Courtney Lawler. "They do have the humanlike qualities. They do have emotions."

Dogs are known as loyal companions to humans, but are typically less known for monogamous relationships with other dogs, unlike other animals.

On a related note, last year a study found that urban coyotes do not stray from their mates.